"You’re not going to faint, are you?" Nicky said.
"No," I said. I took in a lot of air, let it out slow, did it a second time. "I don’t faint." I started walking, and really wished I were in jogging shoes rather than high heels, but you never plan to be kidnapped, so you’re never dressed for it.
I caught my heel on a chair leg, and Nicky grabbed my arm. All touch makes metaphysical powers more. My lioness snarled inside me, her power lashing out, and a slap like claws, saying, Get back!
Nicky staggered a little, but didn’t let go of my arm. He squeezed hard enough for it to hurt, and growled out, "That hurt!"
"It was supposed to," I said.
"Let her go, Nicky." Jacob was up with us, using his taller body to try to block the view.
Nicky growled at him, still holding my arm.
The lioness and I were in agreement, as we lashed out at them both. The visual was of claws slicing at them. They both reacted as if the pretend claws had weight to them. Jacob touched Nicky’s wrist. "Let her go, now, before we cause a scene."
"She started it."
"Bullshit," I said.
Jacob made the other one let me go. They stepped back, gave me some room. But both their beasts were watching me. It was that feeling that you might get on the grasslands surrounded by all that gold, wavy grass, and you stop because you feel something watching you. I knew I had not just the men’s attention, but also that part of them that turned furry once a month was staring holes in me.
I heard, felt, smelled my lion’s thought. Make them fight among themselves, save the cubs. It wasn’t words, but it was emotion that translated into words, because I was human and I needed them. But the idea was good; we had enough power to make them fight among themselves—maybe that could save Micah, and Jason, and Nathaniel? But not yet; I wanted them to call off the first sniper from Micah. I needed to cooperate long enough for them to do that. I told my lioness, Patience, and she hunkered down in the long grass and began to wait. She was a stealth predator; they understand patience.
I was out the doors, slipping my sunglasses on against the bright summer sun. I stopped at the top of the steps.
"Keep going," Nicky said.
"Shouldn’t one of you lead, since I don’t know which car is yours?"